‘It’s everyone’s business’ Update
Following the exceptionally well attended public meeting in August, the Parish Council have been kept updated by the Police about how they have been working to tackle the incidents of anti-social behaviour around the village. Residents will have noticed the increased patrols around the village. Significant progress has been made in respect of identifying criminality and the perpetrators. Arrests have taken place and dispersal enforcement taken. This work is ongoing and a further update from the Police has just been published on our website and Facebook.
We will be having a Community Action Day late March/early April 2019 which will see representatives of various organisations such as Environmental Services (ECDC), Street Scene (ECDC), housing officers, housing associations, police, fire and rescue and others who will be present in the village for a whole day dealing with things that they come across like street sweeping, cutting back unruly hedges encroaching on pavements and answering residents’ questions face to face on issues that they may have. This will culminate with a drop in surgery at either the Village Hall or The Barn (venue yet to be decided at time of printing) where people can have more ‘in-depth’ discussions with the relevant organisations.
Don’t forget to please keep reporting anything you see that appears to be ‘wrong’ via either 101 or online reporting at https://www.cambs.police.uk/report/Report-Shared/Report-a-crime.
Community “Eyes and Ears” event at Ely Cathedral on 13 September 2018
The launch on the 13 September was very successful and was supported by several agencies including:
- Cambridgeshire Constabulary
- Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue
- East Cambridgeshire District Council
- Trading Standards
- ROSMINI
- Action Fraud
- County Safeguarding Board
- Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Partnership
- Neighbourhood Watch
- Alzheimer’s Society
Since the event over 50 volunteers have expressed an interested in becoming Eyes and Ears Champions so the next stage will be to offer training. Many organisations including Sheltered Housing, Neighbourhood Watch and Local Business have asked me to go and talk to them about how they can either become more involved in supporting the scheme or simply learn about how they can use the referral process. If you are interested you can email: communityeyesandears@eastcambs.gov.uk.
Grants
The Parish Council have successfully bid for, and received, some grants from ECDC to enable additional works on the CCTV to be ordered and the rooflights at the village hall to be replaced/repaired. Further applications for grant funding will be submitted soon for other works that we’ve identified. These grants are primarily from the Section 106 monies that the District Council hold on behalf of the Parish Council (for the village) which come from payments that developers have to pay when they apply for planning permission to build homes in the village.
Littleport Business Partnership
Su has started to pull together a database of all businesses in the village with the aim of inviting every business to become part of the new Littleport Business Partnership. It is hoped that this new partnership will foster good communication across the whole of the business community, identifying opportunities for local employment and promotion of the village. There will be quarterly meetings of the partnership where people can exchange views and ideas. We’ll also be inviting guest speakers who will be able to provide advice on various things like lone working, security etc.
Paddocks
They’re now the property of the Parish Council after 10 years waiting but we’re there now and so work can start in earnest bringing them into use for all residents. A consultation document has been prepared and you’ll find a copy of it in Littleport Life along with paper copies in some of the shops along Main Street (and at The Barn of course). Please take the time to fill this in and get it back to the Clerks either by paper copy or via email (info@littleportparishcouncil.gov.uk). The more responses we receive the better so that we can pull together a comprehensive plan for what you, as residents, would like to see on the land. The closing date for the consultation is 31st January 2019.
New Facebook Group
We’ve created a new group on Facebook to get information out to everyone. It’s a closed group so please search it out and send a request to join – the more people in the group the further we can reach with important information which may (or may not) affect you. Please search for “Littleport Parish Council Group” and send a request.
Local Highway Initiative Bid
At the time of going to press we have been invited to attend the Panel Hearing at Witchford for the current round of LHI bids and representatives from the Parish Council will be attending to put our case for having two additional MVAS units. As soon as we know the outcome of our bid we’ll publish this on the website and our group on Facebook.
Christmas Lights
The remedial works have started on the switch boxes and catenaries [wires across the street] in preparation of the festive lights being put up in time for Christmas and we’re hopeful that all will be in place for the switch on at the beginning of December. Unfortunately our previous fantastic helpers are unable to assist with the installation this year so if there are any fit and able persons willing and able to join a few of us Parish Councillors please let the Clerks know and we can then sort out days/times when we can get together.
Summing Up ….
All that’s left to say is that I, and my fellow Councillors, wish everyone a happy, joyous, peaceful and enjoyable festive season and prosperous 2019.